SOLO Concert Series

Why Go Greek?

In Spring 2014, TTU Greeks had a higher GPA than the rest of the student body

Greek organizations contributed over $92,000 to charitable causes and organizations during the year 2012

During Greek Week 2013, Greeks donated over $17,000 to the American Cancer Society through TTU's Relay for Life

Greeks donated over 19,000 pounds of canned food to area food banks during Homecoming 2012

Greeks sponsored or participated in 165 community service projects benefiting 78 different causes, charities, or agencies during the 12-13 academic year

73% of Greeks are involved in two or more organizations in addition to their chapter membership

30% of Greeks hold leadership positions of some type on campus

Greeks were elected to 3 of 4 SGA executive officer positions and the majority of the senator positions

Nationally, 68% of Greeks graduate college, where only 51% of Non-Greeks graduate

Friendship & Brotherhood/Sisterhood

As a member of the Greek community, you will have the opportunity to meet students of various backgrounds with both similar and different interests. Within each Greek organization, there is a close bond of friendship and brother/sisterhood that only the Greek atmosphere can foster. The ideal of brother/sisterhood is the principal foundation upon which each Greek organization is built and from which you will receive the greatest benefit. Everyone contributes to this aspect. Brother/sisterhood combines the concept of individualism within the framework of mutual cooperation.

As a Greek member you will form friendships unlike any found in other organizations. Brother/sisterhood does not mean conformity. No Greek organization is made up of members who are exactly alike. By choosing to become a member of a Greek organization, you will meet people who will grow to become your closest friends, those who will cheer you on when you're successful and who will support you when the going gets tough. From this unbreakable support system you can easily branch off into other areas of college life, knowing all the while that your Greek brothers and sisters will be behind you no matter what.

Academics

The academic portion of your university career is one significant determinant in your future success. One of the most important purposes of the Greek community is to encourage and develop high scholastic achievement among its members. Several factors contribute to this academic atmosphere including: peer tutoring, upperclassman counseling, and chapter study hours which introduce new students to the longer and more intense studying that college requires.

Within each Greek organization there are members involved in a wide variety of colleges and departments. This is an advantage in two ways: 1) you will be able to seek help from others who may be taking or have already taken the same classes and 2) there will be upper class students who can advise you on which classes and instructors are the best within each field of study.

Nationally speaking, just over 50% of students in colleges and universities go on to graduate. At Tennessee Tech, we have the highest graduation rate in the state at 51%. TTU Greek students graduate at an even higher rate of 68% which is representative of the average national Greek graduation rate. Greek organizations help you meet the challenge of balancing academics while gaining the most from your collegiate experience. We consider Greek membership to be a form of graduation insurance – if you join it is similar to purchasing an insurance policy to help you make sure that you do complete your degree!

The combination of friendships and brotherhood, intermingling with solid goals of academic excellence help you to become a well-rounded, intelligent member of the university community, and of the work force after you graduate.

Leadership

In each Greek organization, members are responsible for all the activities and duties. Everyone in the organization (or chapter) has the opportunity to be a leader, whether it is as an officer, a member of a committee, or just an active participant. Members will learn by doing. You could learn how to manage a budget, run effective meetings, speak in public, motivate others ... skills that will help you in the University and throughout your life. These days it takes more than just a degree to get a good job – it takes leadership experience.

Community Service

The Greek community at Tennessee Tech University provides services to more than just members of fraternities and sororities. One of the many advantages of being a part of the Greek community is the time spent helping others in need.

The campus and surrounding areas are constantly reaping the benefits of the Greek students’ dedication to serving others. The commitment found in the members of fraternities and sororities can be seen in the enthusiasm they have in giving back to the community in the forms of hands on community service and raising money for good causes called philanthropies.

Some of the community service that TTU Greek students participate in are the Teens Need Training (TNT) after school tutoring program, Highway Clean-Up (sponsored by the Cookeville Clean Commission), and volunteering at the Putnam County Humane Society. The Cookeville Rescue Mission recently recognized the TTU fraternities and sororities as the largest contributors of canned food for their supply closet to help members of our community in need.

Greek organizations also sponsor fundraisers for philanthropies to benefit national organizations (such as the Children’s Miracle Network) or local organizations like the Boys and Girls Club. They can involve members from one organization or from the whole Greek community or even include everyone on campus. What is most important is that fraternities and sororities often work side by side to help local or national charitable organizations.

Social Activities

Offering a break from the demands of the classroom is one of the benefits of the Greek community. Throughout the year the Greek organizations participate in many social events such as Homecoming, Family Weekend, after-game parties, mixers, backyard barbecues, Greek Week, and formals. These events offer you a good time and a great opportunity to meet other Greeks. Greek social activities allow members to bring dates or are held with another Greek organization where you can meet many new faces. These social activities are not required, but for those members who enjoy a good time, there is no comparison anywhere to the variety, scope, and just plain fun of Greek social events.

Athletics

Each Greek organization participates in numerous competitive sports through intramurals throughout the semester. It's sometimes difficult to get a group of people on your own to play team intramural sports, outdoor paintball, or to get a softball game together on a Sunday afternoon. Greek organizations offer all of this along with the pride of sportsmanship, team spirit, and competition! Each year Greeks compete for the coveted All Sports Trophy which carries with it bragging rights for the whole year.

Career Networking

Say you've graduated or are just looking for a summer job. Now what? In today's economy and job market, it's going to take more than looking at want-ads and job postings. You need to network with people. The Greek community is one of the best ways to do just that. Using the resources of fraternity and sorority members like alumni/ae, you may find that job you're looking for - that head start in life, all because you joined a Greek organization. Joining a fraternity or sorority can be an investment in your future!

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